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RE: Pirate or legal earlier versions? - 6/23/2007 6:27:19 AM   
MarkShot

 

Posts: 7089
Joined: 3/29/2003
Status: offline 		MemoryLeak,

http://www.amazon.com/1830-Railroads-Robber-Barons-Manual/dp/B0007Z17AA/ref=sr_1_4/102-4605961-7723322?ie=UTF8&s=software&qid=1182567710&sr=8-4

I bought mine used. It should come with a hardcopy manual. The manual is 60+ pages in color on high quality stock. There is also a very useful fold out reference chart with all the key facts.

You'll need to use DOSBOX. Copy protection is done via keyword lookup in the manual. However, you only need to pass copy protection once and then it stores that the game is validated.

Seriously, this is the best strategy game ever made. It was a very popular board game before it was ported to the PC. It was ported by one of the key designers about five years after its introduction. Thus, strategies for the game were well understood when it was programmed. These days with games, the game has often gone gold before anyone really knows all the ways it can be played.

The manual will cover the mechanics, but not strategy. You will be amazed that a game with just a few basic rule constructs can lead to such complex strategy and variations.

High lights:

(1) There is only one random element in the game. Initial player seating position. All other variation is due to player action.

(2) I have played hundreds of games and rarely are they similar. And yet it only takes an hour.

(3) The game is incedibly well balanced. Meaning focus on any one thing a little too much and you pay elsewhere. Also, an advantage in one area will be counter-balanced and compensated somewhere else.

(4) The game is totaly transparent. No FOW. You see completely the actions of companies presidents and the trades of other investors.

I would have not had a clue to the many ways to play if not for finding about 9 strategy articles on the Net. They were mainly written for the board game, but they are applicable to the PC game. Here are some links to get you started.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1830_(board_game)

http://www.westpark-gamers.de/en/index.html?/en/1830.html

I have only be playing one variant with four players (three AI). But you can vary quite a few options which alter the game quite a bit. I haven't even tried them. There are four difficulty levels. They basically affect three things from what I can see:

(1) In the initial auctions how aggressively the AI bids against. Less aggressive bidding means to get an early financial bonus in the game.

(2) The AI uses more sophisticated strategies at each level. So, at higher levels. The AI will dump companies on your or seize companies from you. It will also sell and churn your stock to push share prices down ...

(3) It's like a chess program. At the higher levels, turn computations run longer. So, the AI must be running through deeper decision trees for selecting moves.

Last comment: The game is not about building financial empires and successful companies. It is about using companies as tools (a means to an end) to develop personal wealth either through operating them and/or buying/selling stock and reaping gains from payment of dividends or appreciation of stock certificates. So, it is perfectly valid to totally pillage a company's treasury to put money in your pocket and then unload the worthless shell on some unwary investor.

I hope that helps. I only have one game left installed on this laptop. That is 1830, my trapped on a desert island game. :)

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RE: Pirate or legal earlier versions? - 6/23/2007 9:12:41 AM   
RSGodfrey

 

Posts: 147
Joined: 6/21/2004
Status: offline 		Mark

Sorry to hear about the system problems, Ive been there, having had to replace a motherboard twice.
Thanks for taking the time to reply. While I continue to wait on my parcel your first impressions are encouraging.

Richard

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Post #: 62
RE: Pirate or legal earlier versions? - 6/25/2007 5:54:48 PM   
MarkShot

 

Posts: 7089
Joined: 3/29/2003
Status: offline 		CCAW - I was just beginning to play a scenario last night (got my PC back up and running). I quickly concluded that I needed some maps of the PTO. The DOS game lacks the zooming/resolution/detail to provide adequate context if you are not already familiar with the battle space. However, I think maps from the Net will easily fill that gap.

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Post #: 63
RE: Pirate or legal earlier versions? - 6/26/2007 3:15:25 AM   
MarkShot

 

Posts: 7089
Joined: 3/29/2003
Status: offline 		I am just getting started with CCAW, but this program is like a little dream come true. Why?

Well, since I was a kid, I was in love with planes.

My first exposure to PC gaming, 1992, to about 2000 was exclusively flight sims. Later, there were games such as EF2000, TAW, Falcon 4, and Battle of Britain. These allowed you to fly and also had a dynamic component.

I don't fly anymore due to arthritis. So, a game like BOB that is mainly intended for you to step into the cockpit really doesn't work for me. However, this game is quite interesting, since it allows you to conduct your own little mini-air war. However, unlike BOB, the whole aspect of mobile air bases makes it much more interesting.

Very cool!

I am playing the Coral Sea scenario here. We are just getting started. I started a couple of times, since I was trying to figure out something with save games. I can tell you that each start has played out differently.

My carriers (little white O, central map) are steaming to support Port Mo. In the meantime, I am transfering all the lighter AC I can from Townsville forward to Port Mo (West white line). Right outside of Port Mo is a Japanese air raid about to happen (also see green alert warning). Finally, costal watchers (North center) have reported some activity up around Raboul.




Attachment (1)

< Message edited by MarkShot -- 6/26/2007 3:16:07 AM >

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RE: Pirate or legal earlier versions? - 6/26/2007 9:25:31 PM   
BoredStiff

 

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quote:

ORIGINAL: MarkShot

Well, since I was a kid, I was in love with planes.

I don't fly anymore due to arthritis. So, a game like BOB that is mainly intended for you to step into the cockpit really doesn't work for me. However, this game is quite interesting, since it allows you to conduct your own little mini-air war.


You'd like Flight Commander 2.

< Message edited by BoredStiff -- 6/26/2007 9:26:25 PM >

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RE: Pirate or legal earlier versions? - 6/27/2007 12:23:53 AM   
AlvinS

 

Posts: 665
Joined: 12/2/2000
From: O'Fallon, Missouri
Status: offline
quote:

It came from the desert" from Cinemaware


I loved that game on the Amiga. Remember escaping from the hospital?

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Naval Warfare Simulations

AlvinS

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Post #: 66
RE: Pirate or legal earlier versions? - 6/27/2007 2:05:11 AM   
bink

 

Posts: 149
Joined: 12/3/2006
Status: offline 		FWIW, It Came From The Desert is downloadable here:

http://www.cinemaware.com/clsgame_itcame.asp

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Post #: 67
RE: Pirate or legal earlier versions? - 6/27/2007 10:01:17 AM   
david.r.maurice

 

Posts: 2
Joined: 6/27/2007
Status: offline
quote:

ORIGINAL: Staggerwing

quote:

ORIGINAL: Hertston

quote:

ORIGINAL: Staggerwing

There is also a link to download a free version of the Ardennes offensive
under the 'downloads' section. I think this went up on the site when Korsun Pocket
was released (as an appetite whetter, maybe?). I was never able to get TAO to run on
my system. It would always freeze just as the scenario started.


It wasn't/isn't XP compatible.



Well, it wasn't win98 compatible either as that's what I had then even though the
site claimed otherwise. It also doesn't run under Dosbox. It is windows only.



TAO can be played on Windows (possibly up to XP), but at least 98
The trick was that the installer installs the files to "c:\The Ardennes Offensive" by default, but if you know your DOS, this cause severe difficulties! Just change it to "c:\TAO" and you'll be fine (I remember fixing this up - may have been a different version I have though)

quote:

ORIGINAL: BoredStiff

I don't have the new release, but I do have the old Complete Carriers At War. The biggest drawback to CCAW is that you can ONLY play it versus the AI - no hotseat, no PBEM, no TCPIP. I have it installed and although the setup screen does allow human players for both sides, I don't see how it could be hotseated, since both player's actions take place simultaneously.


Have you tried talking to the person you're playing with (can you break 1/2hr before dawn? ETC) - just make sure the other person leaves the room when you click on your side's button (trust is a big thing)!
You know they are doing something, but what is another thing entirely.
You don't miss much from this point - you know if a strike is/isint imminent anyway - if you're prepared, you're prepared.

quote:

ORIGINAL: MarkShot

Mjk428,

I have searched the Internet, but did not find anything. Would you happen to have any custom scenarios that are not part of the CCAW package? If so, I would appreciate it if you could zip them up and email them to me.

Thanks.


I have the scenarios for CCAW from the RUN5 magazine and some that my Dad created/tweaked - the only problem is that they are interstate at the moment, and are about 2-3 months away : (
I don't know about copyright issues, so I'm going to post a Q relating to the distribution of these in the modding section - and the possibility of adapting these to the new Carriers!

< Message edited by david.r.maurice -- 6/27/2007 10:08:31 AM >

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Post #: 68
RE: Pirate or legal earlier versions? - 6/27/2007 11:31:42 PM   
MemoryLeak


Posts: 491
Joined: 12/4/2000
From: Woodland, CA USA
Status: offline 		MarkShot,

Thank you for the great information. I just read it. I have been out buying a new motorcycle and haven't been on the forum very much. I will look into this further. Thanks again.

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RE: Pirate or legal earlier versions? - 6/28/2007 1:11:24 AM   
AlvinS

 

Posts: 665
Joined: 12/2/2000
From: O'Fallon, Missouri
Status: offline
quote:

FWIW, It Came From The Desert is downloadable here:


I loved this game. I'll check it out.

Thank you

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Naval Warfare Simulations

AlvinS

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Post #: 70
RE: Pirate or legal earlier versions? - 6/30/2007 5:27:47 PM   
GoodGuy

 

Posts: 1506
Joined: 5/17/2006
From: Cologne, Germany
Status: offline
quote:

ORIGINAL: AlvinS

quote:

ORIGINAL: GoodGuy
..... it came from the desert" from Cinemaware


I loved that game on the Amiga. Remember escaping from the hospital?


Oh yeah ! Damn that one was tough and funny. Remember "Life and Death"?

I forgot about the escape game and thought that the PC game "The great escape" (sh*tty console port) was rather new or influenced by the movie with the same title featuring Steve Mc Queen.
But escape from Hospital and Indiana Jones + the last Crusade featured such sneak + hide-scenarios way b4 games like that made it to the PC. :)

< Message edited by GoodGuy -- 6/30/2007 5:28:01 PM >

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Post #: 71
RE: Pirate or legal earlier versions? - 7/9/2007 3:42:22 AM   
MarkShot

 

Posts: 7089
Joined: 3/29/2003
Status: offline 		Bump - see first post; NWS has this for $2 USD less.

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Post #: 72
RE: Pirate or legal earlier versions? - 7/9/2007 10:02:48 PM   
MarkShot

 

Posts: 7089
Joined: 3/29/2003
Status: offline
quote:

ORIGINAL: MemoryLeak

MarkShot,

Thank you for the great information. I just read it. I have been out buying a new motorcycle and haven't been on the forum very much. I will look into this further. Thanks again.


Did you check out 1830? Well, if you do, let me know. I would be curious to hear your impressions.

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Post #: 73
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